Never short of an annual surprise or two, the New England Patriots recently pulled another shock when they traded rush end Chandler Jones to the Arizona Cardinals for a second-round draft pick and guard Jonathan Cooper.
It was a move confirmed by Darren Urban of the Cardinals’ official site. It was also a necessary risk for both teams.
Arizona’s reward for a gamble is a player who can finally fix an anaemic pass rush that is the only Achilles’ heel on an otherwise strong defense. For the Pats, they’ve earned a second draft choice in Round 2, ample compensation for having to give up their first-round pick. New England also gets an interior O-lineman to help improve the blocking in front of Tom Brady, who is likely still smarting from the beating he took in the AFC Championship.
